144,000 mileage on a volvo - is it too high?

[brianhabby]

(rear wash and wipe!)

 

[Dibs-h]

and on the issue of swedish/german cars going on for ever a) its myth, everything breaks eventually, and b) when swedish/german cars do break the parts cost about 4 or 5 times as much as a comparable ford part.

Nothing goes forever, but when driving around have look out for the oldest Ford\Vauxhall's you see. Generally speaking. Be very surprised if you see any thing older than 10yrs on the whole. When's the last time you saw a Vauxhall Cavalier?

I see plenty of late 80's Merc's, BM's and VW\Audi's. Now there has to be a reason for that.

As for parts - that was the case more than 15-20 yrs a go. Nowadays I can buy OE German parts for less than comparable OE ones for Ford.

www.gsfcarparts.com
www.eurocarparts.com

I can buy genuine VAG parts cheaper from VAG than OE ones - but that obviously requires trade accounts. The cost of parts is a myth. What isn't so commonly known, is that garages markup up parts to ridiculous levels whilst making out their labour rates are so reasonable. I'd be much happier with just having a transparent labour rate. I don't mind the garage marking up parts say by a nominal 10% - but it's markups of 50%+ that I know exist that take the proverbial.

 

[big soft moose]

Looking at autotrader you can get a diesel V40 estate of roughly that age with half as many miles for about £2.5k

for example this one or this one

for 4k you can get much newer V40s with lower milleage.

 

[Dibs-h]

Looking at autotrader you can get a diesel V40 estate of roughly that age with half as many miles for about £2.5k

for example this one or this one

for 4k you can get much newer V40s with lower milleage.

Captive market init!

The usual trade in routine - undervalue the punter's car and overvalue your own.

 

[mailee]

Right I just gotta comment on this thread. I am on my fifth Volvo having owned a 240, 740, and two 940,s and now have a 850T5 that has done 164,000 miles! It is a 1999 model and although I don't like it as much as the 7 series it just keeps going! (I should add that I dont look after it much either) With the older Volvo's they are bullet proof. Yes parts are expensive but most of the service parts can be bought from most of the factors cheaper anyway. I usually have no problem with MOT,s and the most it cost me was £200 when it needed three tyres. I do intend to get rid of it when I have the money to buy a large van as this one just isn't big enough for me I am sorry to say. I also used to be a Ford owner up until they brought out the 'Jelly mould' and this is what converted me to the Volvos. I wouldn't buy any of the new Volvo range though as they are even smaller than this one and IMHO gone down hill. JMHO. :wink:

 

[big soft moose]

Looking at autotrader you can get a diesel V40 estate of roughly that age with half as many miles for about £2.5k

for example this one or this one

for 4k you can get much newer V40s with lower milleage.

Captive market init!

The usual trade in routine - undervalue the punter's car and overvalue your own.

 

[Gary]

Nothing goes forever, but when driving around have look out for the oldest Ford\Vauxhall's you see. Generally speaking. Be very surprised if you see any thing older than 10yrs on the whole. When's the last time you saw a Vauxhall Cavalier?

I saw and old boy driving a Viva the other day a young kid driving a Capri and there's a MKIII Cortina parked up round the corner as I type.

Still it will soon be 1977. :lol:

 

[big soft moose]

guy at work drives a ford anglia,, about 25 years old

or how about this from 1931 - not bad for a fix or repair daily.

 

[Ironballs]

I'd agree with the general consensus that the old Volvos last longer than the newer ones will (the same with old over engineered Mercs), I also wouldn't necessarily be put off buying a high mileage Volvo but I wouldn't want to pay too much for it - I reckon the dealer is trading on the old Volvo reputation.

Cheaper cars can last when looked after, a bit of mechanical sympathy and regular servicing has seen my 52 Focus to 130,000 miles so far, though I have had a few bills on the way - like the fuel pump that went recently.

Actually whilst we're at it, consumables aside it's had 2 new coils, 2 sets of HT leads, a heater fan rheostat, 2 exhaust manifolds, several billion head lamp bulbs, some relays and fuses, a window motor and 2 horns. Most of the electrics in other words.

On the plus side we're still on all the original suspension, exhaust (from manifold backwards...) and clutch

 

[Gary]

guy at work drives a ford anglia,, about 25 years old

or how about this from 1931 - not bad for a fix or repair daily.

So you work with Harry Potter?

Anglias went out of production in 1967 so I make it at least 43 years old.

That 31 Ford did have a new axle in 1937 though. :lol:

 

[Dibs-h]

Yeah and I seen a local chap with a '68 Mustang Fastback - and admittedly I'd much have that than a German car. :lol:

And I remember seeing a 2.8 Granada Ghia a while back - mint and the bloke driving it was built like a you what. Lovely car. But talk to the trade and the reputation isn't all that good. Bit like a Miele and Hotpoint - ask a washing machine repair person when the last time he had a Miele in for repair. No doubt he'll be fixing a Hotpoint as you speak.

But realistically, apart from classics or Grandad who drives 2 mile a week on Sundays, in the 1st car he ever bought after he got married - the nbr of mid 80's+ BM's, Mercs and VW\Audi's are not insignificant. Which can't be said of the others.

 

[andycktm]

bit like comparing a fiesta with an audi A8,bit pointless really!

 

[big soft moose]

none of which is particularly relevant to the original post - I'm not knocking his desire to buy a volvo, all i'm saying is that 4k for an 8 year old volvo with 144,000 on the clock is taking the p!ss

particulrly when the established market value for a trade sale of an 8 year old volvo with 70-80,000 on the clock (as per auto trader) is about 2.5k

 

[big soft moose]

guy at work drives a ford anglia,, about 25 years old

or how about this from 1931 - not bad for a fix or repair daily.

So you work with Harry Potter?

Anglias went out of production in 1967 so I make it at least 43 years old.

That 31 Ford did have a new axle in 1937 though. :lol:

My mistake its not an Anglia, its a Zephyr ( I think) its the one with fins, its a very 'tasteful' shade of pink :shock: - Personally I think it looks bleddy awful but he likes it

 

[PeterSk]

and on the issue of swedish/german cars going on for ever a) its myth, everything breaks eventually, and b) when swedish/german cars do break the parts cost about 4 or 5 times as much as a comparable ford part.

Nothing goes forever, but when driving around have look out for the oldest Ford\Vauxhall's you see. Generally speaking. Be very surprised if you see any thing older than 10yrs on the whole. When's the last time you saw a Vauxhall Cavalier?

On the other hand, if you commute any appreciable distance you will see a Ford Puma on the road. The youngest of those are nine years old now, and there are plenty still going strong on an R or S plate.

Like moose says, it's not what the car is, it's how well its been looked after. I have a 52 plate TDCi focus, it had 151,000 on the clock when I bought it in June, it now has 173,000 on the clock. The only thing I have bought for it has been diesel.

 

[Jacob]

Cheapo best value estate is Peugeot 406 diesel with less than 90k.
It used to be the 405 which is bigger and better but they are all too old now (though you could be lucky).

 

[toolsntat]

Not mine but :wink:
http://forum.club8090.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=77707
Andy

 

[Fecn]

I guess they don't make 'em like they used to.

Nearly 20 years ago now, my parents bought an old Volvo 244 DL - It came with 244,039 miles on the clock. They used it for 2 years and then gave it to me as a car for me to use at university. I used it for another 2 years, but eventually it needed new brake discs and we decided to get rid of it and get something else. The odometer still said 244,039 miles when we sold it. No idea what the real mileage was on that thing - the odometer had stopped working long before we ever got it - Everything else worked OK though.

 

[liam8223]

Running a garage for a living, I have alot more insight into the way cars last.

Volvo, on the whole are blooming good cars -not to my taste but good- I repair many more fords and vauxhalls and the usual french stuff than i do Volvo.

I look after a V70 D5 with over 165,000 on it and believe me it pulls like a train and is still faultless.

Coincidence? No, not really.
Part - not all- of the reason that the German and Swedish barges cost so much is because they are made from better stuff and put together better.

Only my mechanics view!

And parts for german cars etc are categorically NOT more expensive than fords, vauxhalls etc, I can buy VW filters etc cheaper than ford ones in most cases!

So.................. 144,000 on a diesel motor? Nothing to worry about. I currently run a 2001 ford transit with 245,000 miles on the clock, still goes like stink and is still tight as a new 'un.

One thing I would recommend is buying as new as you can afford, and check the history. I dont buy vehicles based on history, but I can spot a lemon miles off - not everyone can. So if you don't have a keen eye history is the best way to buy, aside from a professional inspection. Not trying to teach you new tricks, but not everyone is car orientated, just trying to help.

Good luck with your car hunt, and if you need advice, pm anytime.

Liam.

 

[big soft moose]

RunnAnd parts for german cars etc are categorically NOT more expensive than fords, vauxhalls etc, I can buy VW filters etc cheaper than ford ones in most cases!

So.................. 144,000 on a diesel motor? Nothing to worry about. I currently run a 2001 ford transit with 245,000 miles on the clock, still goes like stink and is still tight as a new 'un.

.

foreign parts may not be more expensive to the trade but they sure as hell are to the punter.

several cars back i had a vw golf - new clutch 275 notes, car after that was a ford escort , new clutch 95 notes (both parts only)

also on the milleage I agree that deisel engines go on and on and on, but the rest of the car doest - even on volvos - the suspension bushes, brake discs, clutch, gear box linkages etc all start getting worn out arround the 100k mark - which is no big deal to someone in the trade, - but sucks that fat one if you've just spent 4k on the motor